Fires, automobile accidents, massacres, etc., usually claim more than 1 family member.
The idea is to have just one coffin big enough to house all of those who perish at the same time.
[edit] I included massacres because it happens where I live, our neighbor's 2 sons were killed in a land dispute.
Also, I changed the title from Multiple corpse coffins to the current one so as not to confuse people like [erlehmann]. I am NOT in anyway supporting mass murders, genocide, ethnic cleansing, etc.
This idea is simply meant for families who lose loved ones at the same time. They can be put in one final resting place together, their bodies carefully and respectfully arranged. I hope this clears up the "mass-grave" issue. It is not the intent of my idea.-- pyggy potamus, Feb 02 2008 how many people should be dead to warrant it being called a "massacre". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massacresome say 5, or 10, while others don't mention of a particular number, instead, the focus is on how they were killed - e.g. "brutal and indiscriminate" [pyggy potamus, Feb 05 2008] also known as "movable mass grave according to ISO 668". boner.-- erlehmann, Feb 02 2008 [erlehmann] also known as "movable mass grave according to ISO 668". boner.
- I actually went and looked it up - ISO 668:1995 is for Series 1 freight containers -- Classification, dimensions and ratings.
I'd have to look up where coffin = freight container.-- pyggy potamus, Feb 02 2008 I dunno - "Super Economy Family Sized!"-- DrCurry, Feb 02 2008 A promotion I would never expect to see at an undertakers:
"Buy 1, get 1 free"-- Ling, Feb 02 2008 //"Buy 1, get 1 free"// - my wife's grandfather passed away the morning of his wife's funeral. The mortuary made arrangements for both to be buried in the same grave, and saved the family a considerable amount.
About the original idea - I wonder if casket re-use laws might cause a problem. I haven't looked at them all, but I know several US states require that if a body has been placed in a casket, and then removed, all linings / pillows / mattresses that could have contacted the body must be removed and replaced before another body can be placed in the coffin.
As near as I can tell, this is to prevent diseases from being transmitted from one corpse to another. It's really nice to know someone cares so about our well-being.-- lurch, Feb 02 2008 //I included massacres because it happens where I live// Sheesh, pyggy, where *do* you live?
I can see a problem with this, when it comes to pall-bearing. Also, you're going to need some internal structure to stop the bodies sliding around inside into uncomfortable or unseemly poses.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Feb 02 2008 Not a very peaceful place these days. This idea first came to me when I learned of how my neighbors' sons died. They were found hugging each other. Apparently, each tried to shield the other from the gunshots. They had to be pried apart just so they could each fit into their respective coffins. If my coffin idea were available, they could've been buried together.
Recently in US news, 4 kids were thrown off a bridge by their dad.
Extreme situations like these, call for a special type of coffin I believe.-- pyggy potamus, Feb 02 2008 A sardine can.-- xenzag, Feb 02 2008 You mean like the ossuary pits that churches used to dig for the families of honored heroes? It's cheap and baked since...well, a really long time ago.
The only diference is that the pits weren't coffins, just holes to dump lots of bodies.-- Shadow Phoenix, Feb 02 2008 I feel privileged to witness the birth of this exciting new branch of topography.-- oniony, Feb 05 2008 I'd imagine you could already fit a small handful of skinny people into an obese person's coffin. Coffins already come in all sorts of sizes so I'm not convinced 'a big coffin' is a new invention.
I'm also not sure if two is enough people dead to be a massacre.-- hidden truths, Feb 05 2008 //I'm also not sure if two is enough people dead to be a massacre.//
Check link for more details. I think my calling 2 dead people a massacre is covered in the definition.
This idea was in culture:funeral when I first put it up. But since it's actually a product (coffin) to house n number of family members who all die at the same time, due to the same tragedy most probably, I understand why it was transferred to the product category. (plus my title basically says a coffin product - if you look at how I title my ideas, you'd see that I am not a pro at giving idea titles but if you read through what I've posted, I am sure I explained it clearly enough)
The BIG coffin is just part of the idea and the size is dependent on how many family members die at the same time.
I'm not proposing for a *roomy* box just so the dead would have more space [what for? it's not like they're expecting their homeboys/girls to come over and party] - I'm proposing a new funeral practice which will need a bigger coffin.-- pyggy potamus, Feb 05 2008 What about cremation? It'd have to fit in the combustion chamber. A double might be okay.-- Loris, Jun 03 2009 Hmm.-- whatrock, Apr 10 2020 Wot no thermite ?-- 8th of 7, Apr 10 2020 "The family that decays together, stays together." ?-- 8th of 7, Apr 10 2020 A little mod would certainly be appropriate in burgs with higher-than-usual mortality rates. A listing would identify the group of deceased persons in the same container and approximately where they were buried. "East corner of Charnel Pit 12, second level, next to the cat."-- whatrock, Apr 10 2020 <Obligatory Python Quote>
"Bring out your dead !"
<Dull clang/>
</OPQ>-- 8th of 7, Apr 10 2020 random, halfbakery